Work a year, take a year off, work a year, take a year off. Is company driving best?

I have no family and I'm interested in working as an OTR driver. But I'd also like to take vacations 6-12 months in length every year or two. Essentially take "mini retirements" every other year roughly speaking.

Would I be better off just being a company driver and finding a new job (or maybe going back to where I was before) every other year or would I be better off being an owner operator?

 

Be a driver.

 

work a temp service specializing in drivers.

 

I did roughly that for the first four years I drove. 6 months on, 6 months off (worked another very high paying job for 3 of those months). I actually stayed with the same company and they were happy to have me back. I went in with full disclosure and I'm still friends with many of the people at that company 25 years later.

 

I've got a better idea for you and it's what I think most of the older O/O's on here do. Just take off when times are bad or you want to and work when it's good. When it's been good for awhile and you're feeling flush, take off then too. Only works if you run your own numbers.

I have been obsessed with the term 'mini retirements' for a few years. I'm working towards it. For me it will just be a few weeks off every few months. I would be bored if I tried to not work for a year. Or I'd be doing something else for a living 3 months in.

 

Look for seasonal jobs in your area. If up north go into fuel hauling, as propane there are never enough drivers to meet demand in the winter. If rural, hauling ag to the elevator or from the elevator to wherever is good, steady work in the summer and fall. Just look around for what's in demand 1/2 the year and do that while taking the other half the year off.

 

Do you have any leads on propane companies? Thanks

 

About the only national one I know of is Amerigas, but I think they mostly do class B peddle trucks delivering to homes. The bulk carriers tend to be very regional. I know of one in Detroit, one in Grand Rapids and one in Flint. My suggestion would be to simply pay attention to the companies delivering gss, and call them.

 

If you don't mind a little dust running a water truck for loggers and mountain road construction can be a good seasonal job. If you wanted to work in the west you might get assigned to fires and then the money really stacks up.

 

Right; that's the way to do it.
Work when you want to.
Trillium is one company to check out for 'work when you want to.'
Driver Staffing Solutions | Trillium Staffing
Driver Staffing Solutions | Trillium Staffing